SYSTEM ANALYZER

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

Get a comprehensive performance analysis of your gaming rig with detailed benchmarks, bottleneck detection, and upgrade recommendations

Build Configuration

Select your components

PROCESSOR (CPU)

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GRAPHICS CARD (GPU)

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97 Score

Top 3% Ranking

97 / 100

ULTIMATE READY

Apex Performer

Top 3% of systems. Capable of 4K Ultra gaming and advanced rendering.

4K 60+ FPSVR ReadyRay Tracing

System Balance Analysis

CPU vs GPU performance ratio

Well Balanced

CPU

98%

GPU

97%

PROCESSOR

Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus

84,003 Benchmark Score

Top 2% Market Ranking

View Full Specs →

GRAPHICS CARD

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

54,247 Benchmark Score

Top 3% Market Ranking

View Full Specs →

Market Position

How your build compares to others

Budget

0-30

Mid-Range

30-60

High-End

60-85

Enthusiast

85-100

Your Build

Game Performance Benchmarks

Real-world 4K FPS in popular titles

View All Games →

Performance Insights

Tips to maximize your system

Optimal Performance

Your system is in the top tier. You can run any modern game at maximum settings.

4K Gaming Ready

Consider a 4K 144Hz monitor to fully utilize your hardware capabilities.

Compatible Games See what you can play Compare CPUs Find upgrades Compare GPUs Find upgrades

Performance Tiers Explained

90-100

Ultimate

4K Ultra gaming, VR ready, ray tracing enabled, professional workloads

4K 60+ FPS VR Ready

70-89

High-End

1440p Ultra or 4K High settings, excellent for modern AAA titles

1440p Ultra 4K High

50-69

Mid-Range

1080p Ultra or 1440p Medium, great value for most gamers

1080p Ultra 1440p Med

30-49

Entry Level

1080p Medium settings, suitable for eSports and older titles

1080p Med eSports

0-29

Legacy

Basic gaming, older titles, consider upgrading for modern games

720p-1080p Low Older Games

This is the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, a desktop combination that targets the upper echelon of consumer performance. The data shows a system with exceptional processing power for demanding productivity and a GPU that remains highly capable for high-resolution gaming, though the CPU's dominance in the pairing becomes evident in specific workloads.

CPU Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, and the unlocked multiplier allows for potential overclocking. The chip is manufactured on a 3 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 243 mm² containing 17,800 million transistors. This configuration yields a cache hierarchy of 192 KB L1 and 3 MB L2 per core, plus a shared 36 MB L3 cache.

Benchmark results show a processor that is exceptionally strong in both single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51,731 points and single-core score of 7,303 points place it in the 96th percentile when compared to all CPUs. This high percentile indicates the chip sits near the top of the performance hierarchy. Its average benchmark score of 84,003 puts it in a tight race with the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 83,807 (a delta of 0.2%), and the AMD EPYC 4584PX at 83,090 (a delta of 1.1%). The data suggests the 290K Plus is effectively the top performer among its immediate rivals, edging out the 285K by a fractional margin.

The PassMark suite reveals specific strengths. The multi-thread score of 60,860 and integer math score of 166,194 indicate robust handling of heavily parallel workloads. The floating-point math score of 214,760 is particularly strong, suggesting excellent performance in scientific simulations and financial modeling. The single-thread score of 4,823 supports the idea of a snappy, responsive system for everyday tasks and lightly-threaded applications. For real workloads, this translates to rapid compilation times in software development, swift rendering in 3D applications, and fluid performance in complex spreadsheets or data analysis. The 96th percentile placement confirms that this CPU will not be a bottleneck for most users, including those running professional-grade software.

Benchmark Performance

The combined system performance is strong, reflected in a 91st percentile combined ranking across all components. The CPU's average benchmark score of 84,003 is complemented by the GPU's average score of 54,247. The CPU's percentile rank of 96 is notably higher than the GPU's percentile rank of 86, a first hint at where the balance of power lies.

Looking at the GPU benchmarks, the RTX 4080 achieves a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,567 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 263,779. The PassMark G3D score of 34,457 is a strong result for rasterization. In compute tasks, the PassMark GPU Compute score of 20,671 and the Geekbench OpenCL score of 214,739 show significant parallel processing capability. The GPU's average score places it just 0.1% ahead of the RTX 4080 SUPER (54,209 vs. 54,247), making them effectively performance twins. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB sits 2.6% behind, and the Radeon 8060S is 2.7% behind.

The combined picture is one of a high-end workstation and gaming hybrid. The CPU provides the top-tier processing foundation, while the GPU delivers a strong, but not class-leading, graphical performance. The 86th percentile for the GPU means it is better than the majority of GPUs, but its performance gap relative to the CPU is a key characteristic of this pairing. The measured FPS data across games will further illustrate how these components work together under graphical load.

GPU Analysis

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD103 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It packs 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die. The GPU features 9,728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output pipelines. It operates with a base clock of 2205 MHz and a boost clock of 2505 MHz.

Memory configuration is a key strength. The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. This is a substantial amount of memory and bandwidth, suitable for high-resolution textures and complex 3D scenes. The GPU also includes 76 RT cores and 304 Tensor cores, which are dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI-accelerated tasks like DLSS. This results in a pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance rated at 48.74 TFLOPS.

In benchmark results, the GPU's PassMark G3D score of 34,457 is its strongest showing, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its performance is nearly identical to the RTX 4080 SUPER (0.1% delta), indicating that in most scenarios, they will perform the same. The 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 6,567 is a modern DX12 test that shows strong future-proofing. For rendering, the high FP32 throughput and 16 GB VRAM make it capable of handling complex scenes, though it is not the absolute top-tier option. The data shows a GPU that is excellent for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p and playable 4K, with the hardware features to support ray tracing and DLSS for enhanced visual fidelity.

Usage Scenarios

High-Refresh Gaming: The combination is exceptional for high-refresh gaming at 1440p. Measured FPS in titles like Call of Duty: Warzone shows 167 FPS at 2560x1440, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege hits 253 FPS at the same resolution, easily exceeding 144Hz and even 240Hz monitor capabilities. At 1080p, the CPU's strong single-thread performance pushes frames even higher, as seen in Valorant at 605 FPS.

Streaming: This setup is well-suited for streaming. The CPU's 24 cores handle the encoding workload without significant impact on game performance. The high core count and 96th percentile multi-threaded performance provide ample headroom for running a game, encoding video, and managing streaming software simultaneously, as evidenced by strong multi-core scores like 51,731 in Cinebench R23.

Video Editing: The combination of the powerful CPU and the 16GB GPU is excellent for video editing. The CPU's multi-core strength (PassMark multi-thread score of 60,860) accelerates rendering and export times, while the GPU's 16 GB VRAM and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth allow for smooth scrubbing and playback of high-resolution timelines and effects in real-time. The 48.74 TFLOPS FP32 performance aids in GPU-accelerated effects.

3D Rendering: The CPU is the star for CPU-based rendering, with its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51,731 placing it in the 96th percentile. This will reduce render times in applications like Blender or V-Ray. For GPU-based rendering, the RTX 4080's 48.74 TFLOPS and 16 GB VRAM provide a fast, capable platform, though not the absolute fastest available.

Software Development: The 24-core/24-thread CPU is a boon for developers. The high integer math score (166,194) and multi-thread score (60,860) in PassMark indicate fast code compilation and test execution. The data encryption and compression scores (52,563 and 698,346) show efficiency in handling data-heavy tasks, making this a productive environment for large projects.

Student and Office Work: This system is massively over-powered for typical student and office tasks. The single-core performance (4,823 PassMark single-thread score) makes everyday applications like browsers and office suites feel instant. However, the cost and power are not justified for these workloads alone, as even a fraction of this performance would suffice for such tasks.

Balance and Bottleneck

The data points to a CPU-heavy pairing. The CPU's 96th percentile is significantly higher than the GPU's 86th percentile, indicating that the CPU is the more capable component relative to its peers. In gaming, this means the RTX 4080 is likely the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The FPS scaling across resolutions supports this: for example, in Cyberpunk 2077, the system delivers 96 FPS at 1080p, 71 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K. This significant drop as resolution increases is classic GPU-bound behavior.

Conversely, in CPU-intensive scenarios, the bottleneck can shift. In games that are not heavily multithreaded, the CPU's strong single-core performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7,303) ensures it is rarely the limiting factor, even at lower resolutions. However, the overall system bottleneck is the GPU. The average FPS across games is 193.9, but this is heavily skewed by esports titles. In demanding AAA titles, the GPU will cap performance. For productivity, the CPU is the primary engine, and its high percentile means it will not bottleneck the GPU or other components. The 91st combined percentile suggests the system works well together, but users seeking more GPU headroom at 4K would need to look at a faster graphics card.

Who Should Build It

This system is built for the enthusiast who demands top-tier processing power. The target user is a gamer who plays at 1440p with a high-refresh-rate monitor and wants to experience maximum frame rates in competitive titles. The data shows this is achievable, with games like Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege hitting 253 FPS at 1440p. At 4K, the system is still capable of high settings in many games, but frame rates will be lower, as seen in Cyberpunk 2077 at 47 FPS.

Content creators and professionals are the other primary audience. The CPU's 96th percentile multi-core performance makes it ideal for video editors, 3D artists, and software developers who rely on heavy multithreaded workloads. The 16 GB of VRAM on the GPU is sufficient for complex 3D scenes and high-resolution video editing. For students and small business workstations, this system is overkill and represents an inefficient allocation of resources, as their workloads would not utilize the full potential of either component. This is a system for those who prioritize performance above all else.

Upgrade Path and Platform

The platform is built on the Intel Socket 1851. This is a forward-looking socket, and the system supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel memory bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. The CPU supports ECC memory, which is a feature often desired in workstation environments. Connectivity is handled by PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU, which is essential for next-generation SSDs and GPUs. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 EU provides a basic display output for troubleshooting or non-discrete-GPU tasks.

The GPU uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface. The suggested PSU for the GPU is 700 W, and the GPU has a TDP of 320 W. The CPU has a TDP of 125 W. A high-quality power supply with appropriate wattage and connectors (the GPU uses a 16-pin connector) is required. A sensible next upgrade would be the GPU, as it is the current bottleneck. Moving to a faster graphics card would yield the most significant performance gains in gaming, especially at 4K. The CPU, however, is a top-tier part and should remain relevant for several years, making a CPU upgrade less necessary. The platform's PCIe Gen 5 support also means that future storage devices will be able to run at full speed.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus compare to its direct predecessor, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The data shows the 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003, which is 0.2% higher than the 285K's score of 83,807. This indicates a very small, but measurable, performance improvement.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 a good match for the 290K Plus?

A: The CPU is in the 96th percentile, while the GPU is in the 86th percentile. The data suggests the CPU is more powerful than the GPU, making the GPU the primary bottleneck in graphics-intensive tasks.

Q: What kind of gaming performance can I expect at 1440p?

A: The measured data shows excellent performance. For example, Call of Duty: Warzone runs at 167 FPS, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege runs at 253 FPS at 2560x1440. This is well-suited for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: Does this system support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the RTX 4080 has 76 dedicated RT cores. It also has 304 Tensor cores, which are used for AI features like DLSS.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the GPU and CPU?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s, while the CPU has a dual-channel DDR5 memory bus with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking compared to all other CPUs?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a top-tier processor for performance.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but frame rates are lower. For instance, Cyberpunk 2077 runs at 47 FPS at 3840x2160, while less demanding games like Valorant run at 507 FPS at the same resolution.

Gaming Performance

The following FPS data is measured at Ultra settings across three resolutions. The results show a system that is extremely capable at 1080p and 1440p, with performance scaling down as resolution increases, a clear sign of the GPU becoming the limiting factor.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers extremely high frame rates in esports and older titles. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive hits 717 FPS, and Valorant reaches 605 FPS. Even more demanding titles like Call of Duty: Warzone run at 188 FPS, and Red Dead Redemption 2 achieves 274 FPS. This makes the system ideal for competitive gaming at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong. Call of Duty: Warzone runs at 167 FPS, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege hits 253 FPS. More demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 run at 71 FPS, and Ark: Survival Ascended drops to 30 FPS. This resolution is the sweet spot for the RTX 4080, offering a balance of high visual quality and high frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the system is still playable in most games but at lower frame rates. Call of Duty: Warzone runs at 141 FPS, while Cyberpunk 2077 is at 47 FPS. Very demanding titles like Ark: Survival Ascended run at 16 FPS, which is not playable. For 4K gaming, users will need to adjust settings or rely on upscaling technologies to achieve smoother performance. The average FPS across all games is 193.9, but this is heavily influenced by high-performance esports titles.

Rate My PC: Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

Apex Performer

System Balance Analysis

Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

Market Position

Game Performance Benchmarks

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Valorant

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Valorant

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Valorant

Performance Insights

Optimal Performance

4K Gaming Ready

Performance Tiers Explained

Ultimate

High-End

Mid-Range

Entry Level

Legacy

CPU Analysis

Benchmark Performance

GPU Analysis

Usage Scenarios

Balance and Bottleneck

Who Should Build It

Upgrade Path and Platform

FAQ

Gaming Performance

4K Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

1440p Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

1080p Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077

Red Dead Redemption 2

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Control

Call of Duty: Warzone

Fortnite

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